Description
Invasive species pose a significant threat to the ecological, economic, and cultural integrity of America’s lands and waters and the communities they support. Once invasive species are established, it is often challenging and costly to control or eradicate those infestations. In some cases, however, eradication – the removal or destruction of an entire population of invasive species from a defined area – is both possible and feasible, resulting in substantial ecological and economic benefits. This can include eradication of a founding population of invasive species (e.g., a newly introduced species to a specific area) or eradicating a well-established population. Eradication, while it represents the ideal outcome in most cases, requires consideration of the available eradication techniques, cost, likelihood of success, likelihood of re-invasion, public support, complexity of environmental compliance, and availability of resources. This latter consideration is frequently a barrier to implementing eradication measures that can lead to restoring ecosystem health.Furthermore, successful eradication efforts are often dependent on the use of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, making well informed decisions, and applying a collaborative approach. IPM is defined as an approach to managing pests that uses biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes health, environmental, and economic risks. Collaboration with relevant parties, such as state, federal, local, tribal, territory, private, and other land managers, is often essential for successful eradication projects.For eradication to be an option, resource managers must have access to effective tools. Therefore, it is important to support both on-the-ground eradication efforts and also the research into and development of tools where they do not exist. DOI encourages leveraging science and technology to increase the likelihood of eradication of invasive species and increase the likelihood of long-term success. As such, proposals will be considered for on-the-ground projects that eradicate an invasive species or those projects that advance research that increases the effectiveness and near-term availability of eradication tools. For example, studies that lead to the development of genetic interventions and physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological eradication tools would be eligible.Examples of the type of work being targeted for this Invasive Species Eradication Funding Opportunity include:Eradication of the invasive annual grass Cenchrus spp. A Weed Risk Assessment for the invasive annual grass Cenchrus spp. in Hawai‘i identified the species as high risk for many reasons. It thrives and spreads in tropical climates. It is an invasive plant that affects native coastal vegetation and seabird habitat. It has spiny burs that disperse easily via clothing or feathers, reproduces by prolific seed production, and is easily spread by high winds and storms. It reaches maturity in less than one year and persists in the seedbank for one to five years. Cenchrus spp. was introduced to the remote island of Nihoa, a volcanic remnant in the Hawaiian Archipelago with many geographically distinct species including two endemic and endangered passerines and three endemic and endangered plants. Early detection and monitoring indicated that the Cenchrus spp. infestation on Nihoa dramatically increased from just seven plants observed in 2017 to over 600 plants in 2018. This expansion indicated that it was initiating its ascent of the exponential growth curve common in invasive species. Eradication efforts are underway to eradicate Cenchrus spp. from Nihoa via an integrated pest management process (e.g., physical and chemical treatments) coupled with rigorous biosecurity measures to prevent reinvasion.Research on the use of YY technology for invasive fish eradication. The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies initiated, in 2018, the YY Male Consortium (Consortium) with funding from 13 western states. The Consortium is building upon the work initiated by the State of Idaho to develop YY male broodstock for invasive brook trout. They are developing research broodstock for five additional regionally invasive species, including the common carp, walleye, lake trout, brown trout and Northern pike. Ongoing field evaluations of eradication programs using YY male brook trout in several western states indicate suppression is happening as modeled. In addition, populations in smaller systems are on the verge of documenting total eradication. This work combines multiple control tools using the principles of integrated pest management by suppressing invasive brook trout populations annually through mechanical and/or chemical control, and then stocking the equivalent number of YY males to replace those removed. YY males breed with the wild females, producing only YY males, leading ultimately to an all YY male population and population eradication. Note: This Invasive Species Eradication Funding Opportunity is separate from the Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species Notice of Funding Opportunity (grants.gov announcement number F24AS00175). The Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species is intended to support the planning and deployment of responses to newly detected populations of aquatic invasive species in pursuit of eradicating the population before it becomes established and spreads. This Invasive Species Eradication Funding Opportunity, however, is open to all taxa (see Eligible Taxa section) and can be used for eradication of newly detected populations of terrestrial invasive species, eradication of well-established populations of aquatic or terrestrial invasive species, or for research that advances tools for effective eradication of aquatic or terrestrial invasive species. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Ecosystem Restoration Program and DOI PrioritiesThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (also referred to as BIL, or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)), Section 40804 (Ecosystem Restoration) provided funding to DOI for “invasive species detection, prevention, and eradication, including conducting research and providing resources to facilitate detection of invasive species at points of entry and awarding grants for eradication of invasive species on non-Federal land and on Federal land.” This Invasive Species Eradication Funding Opportunity aims to meet BIL’s direction to offer grants for eradication of invasive species.This funding opportunity also advances DOI’s policy regarding invasive species management (524 DM 1) which identifies eradication undertaken in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner as one objective of an integrated pest management approach. Additionally, it advances Goal 4 of the DOI’s Invasive Species Strategic Plan for 2021-2025 to cost-effectively control or eradicate established invasive species populations to reduce impacts and help restore ecosystems.For this funding opportunity, collaboration with one of DOI’s Keystone Initiatives is encouraged, as appropriate. DOI prioritized these Keystone Initiatives as focal areas for transformational conservation efforts across the nation. The Keystone Initiatives advance the Restoration and Resiliency Framework and include:Gravel to GravelGrasslandsHawaiian Forest BirdsKlamath BasinSagebrush EcosystemSaltmarsh, andAppalachiaPurpose and Program Grant Requirements:In Fiscal Year 2024, DOI prioritized BIL funds to establish this Invasive Species Eradication Funding Opportunity within the existing authorities of DOI, to be administered by the USFWS in collaboration with DOI bureaus. Accordingly, the DOI bureaus, through the USFWS, invite proposals to support the eradication of a newly introduced or established species in terrestrial or aquatic habitats of the United States, including the U.S. territories (aquatic habitats include freshwater, wetland, riparian, estuarian, and marine). While preference will be given to proposals that result in eradication of invasive species, research proposals that advance research that increases the effectiveness and availability of eradication tools will be considered. “Eradication” is defined as the removal or destruction of an entire population of invasive species. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, this means the elimination of all individuals of a distinct population in a geographically defined area that is not contiguous or connected (via natural dispersal) with other populations and that is surrounded by naturally occurring or human-made barriers sufficiently effective to prevent reinvasion as verified using monitoring and inventories. Projects targeted at eradicating a founding population of a terrestrial invasive species or those eradicating established populations of aquatic or terrestrial invasive species will be considered. Eradication can be a key resource management step that then allows other resource management objectives to be achieved, such as habitat restoration or the recovery of Threatened and Endangered Species. This funding opportunity recognizes that eradication of a widespread established invasive species is possible and can be successful late in the invasion stages, but it requires strategic approaches (such as by using IPM) and targeted investments. The intent of this funding opportunity is to promote and invest in those projects with a high likelihood of achieving eradication success and in those that have existing partnerships and plans in place. NOTE: Projects responding to founding populations of aquatic invasive species within the early detection and rapid response context should instead apply for funding through the Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species. Projects addressing established aquatic invasive species infestations with a high likelihood of eradication can apply for this Eradication Funding Opportunity. Proposals submitted for this opportunity should address how the proposed project supports DOI’s mission, especially helping to protect vulnerable, high priority, or protected species or areas. Proposals that service underserved, or historically disadvantaged communities are also encouraged. These will be considered among the grant review criteria listed under the Application Review Information section later in this document.